A touching movie about Finland in the 1940's, humanity in harsh circumstances and a dog's eyes. Based on author Veikko Huovinen's novel and directed by Markku Plnen, The Dog Nail Clipper is a story of a young man, his destiny changed by the Second World War, and of the post-war reconstruction in Finland. The movie takes place in the 1940's, when menfolk worked in the forest to support their families and to help rebuild the country after two devastating wars with the Soviet Union. The story is built around the main character Mertsi's everyday life. He is wounded badly in the war and can rely only on his fellow human beings - and a dog. Although Mertsi's life is hard, he manages to maintain an optimistic attitude towards life. As the hero of the movie, he truly earns his badge of honor. The Dog Nail Clipper is a caring, touching and genuine story about unselfish friendship. Markku Pölönen was born in Eno, Finland, in 1957, and made his first fiction short in 1984. His next short, Taivaan Lahja (1986) received a number of prizes. Since then, Pölönen has divided his time between teaching film to children and directing. In 1993, he directed a 58-minute dramatic comedy, Onnen Maa (Land of Happiness), which won numerous awards and made him the darling of Finnish film buffs. In 1994, he made a 60-minute telefilm, Vuorisaarna (The Sermon on the Mount) and Kivenpyörittäjän Kylä (The Last Wedding), his first theatrical feature. -AHS

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